Sand Hill Crane Phenomenon!

As many of you know we recently have moved to a new location.  One thing you might not know is that the Wildlife in Need Center has an ongoing tradition with the majestic bird, the sand hill crane.  Our first patient ever was an injured sand hill crane.  And from then our center began to flourish every year with helping wildlife.  It was a happy coincidence that we chose this image as the center piece to our memorable logo.  

On Monday June 27, our new center officially opened, and we were greeted once again with non other than another sand hill crane.  What a coincidence.  This little fellow had his parents scared away by a dog and was thus left alone.  The people who found the crane then were told to make sure to leave the baby out, but sadly the parents never came back.  When brought into the center, it was clear that there were significant injuries to the bird.  Chelsea Matson, one of our Animal Rehabilitators, thought that when she first saw him it was in critical condition, (labored breathing, cold, and skinny) almost dead at that point.  After examining the bird, it appeared to have a spinal injury and was also very dehydrated.    

Our little baby sand hill crane is doing better and eating many worms a day. 

Luckily by the end of the day with some TLC it had appeared to perk up a bit.  By next morning he was standing all on his own!  The baby sand hill crane proved to be a great phenomenon and let’s us believe that our future is bright at our new location.   

For those of you who want to visit the Wildlife In Need Center our office hours are 9am-5pm, seven days a week.  The new Wildlife In Need Center is located at W349 S1480 S. Waterville Rd. Suite B, Oconomowoc, WI. Our new phone number is 262-965-3090.

Guest Blogger  JH    

Notice!

The Wildlife In Need Center is moving to its new home!

After several years of searching, rasing funds and support, and negotiating leases, our more efficient, more green, more public-friendly facility will be opening on Monday, June 27th.

To accomodate for the moving process, the Center will not be accepting calls for phone counseling, nor will we be accepting patients to our clinic on:

Thursday, June 23rd

Friday, June 24th

Saturday, June 25th 

Sunday, June 26th

Click here for links to other area resources that can be of assistance if you've found an animal that you think needs help.

We will open the doors at our new facility at W349 S1480 S. Waterville Road Suite B on
Monday, June 27th.
Please note that our new phone number will be (262) 965-3090

Please Help! : Oconomowoc Duck

For the past week calls have been flooding into both the Wildlife In Need Center as well as the Oconomowoc Police Department regarding a male Mallard duck with reportedly an arrow or dart bisecting his upper neck and/or head area.

Regrettably, both those who have reported sighting the duck as well as those who have gone to the area in efforts to help the duck have not had luck in getting close enough to contain it to bring it in for care.

If you know anything about the incident or individual who inflicted this upon an innocent animal please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services at 612-713-5360. According to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, it is ruled that all migratory birds and their parts (including their eggs, nests, and feathers) are completely protected. (16 U.S.C. 703, more in detail go to http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html ) Lastly, P.L. 105-312 also revised the law to permit the fine for misdemeanor convictions under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to be up to $15,000, rather than $5,000.

If you encounter the duck; try to stay calm when you move toward it. If you can get close enough the best thing to do is to gently toss a sheet or light towel over as much of him as you can. Birds are more docile when they cannot see. However, it is apparent that with his condition it may not be possible to cover the head completely. Once covered, softly tug on the edges of the sheet to cinch them together and try to nudge him into a box or container as tenderly as possible.

The Wildlife In Need Center’s office is staffed from 9AM to 5PM seven days a week including all of the summer holidays. If you have any information on this duck or are willing and able to assist in his capture please contact us at (262) 968-5075. The Wildlife In Need Center is dedicated to providing wildlife rehabilitation to Wisconsin wildlife with the intent to release back to their native habitat, conduct research designed to further the positive impact of rehabilitation, and provide quality community education programs and services. On Monday, June 27th, the new Wildlife In Need Center will be open for business at its new location at W349 S1480 Suite B South Waterville Rd, Oconomowoc, WI 53066. Thank you for caring!

 

Guest Blogger L.M.B.

Few things in nature are as cute as a week old fawn, but sometimes nature isn’t always pretty. I’ve remodeled this post from one posted last year because, evidenced by our incoming phone calls, it's that time of year again and our education is needed. The most important thing to keep in mind is:

The best thing to do if you see a fawn sitting alone is to resist the urge to interfere.

Mother deer will frequently leave their fawns for several hours at a time (sometimes the entire day or longer) as they are not strong enough to keep up with her as she forages, nor are they eating solid foods yet. Unless the baby is showing obvious signs of distress you can be certain that the mother will return, perhaps closer to dusk when she feels it is safe to do so.

While many of us have an idyllic image of deer dashing through forests and grazing in wide open fields (plenty of which exist in the southeastern Wisconsin region), but it is actually common to see deer in town, especially in quite, grassy subdivisions. It is also quite common, believe it or not, to find a fawn resting in your front flower bed one day.

Don’t worry when this happens, the mother of this adorable creature with the biggest, wettest eyes you’ve probably ever seen will come back.

It may be difficult to resist the urge to move the baby to a safer location if it’s near a road or even just a shady spot if it’s in the sun, but its best chance at survival is to stay with its mother. She is perfectly capable of getting up, however wobbly, and moving if she becomes uncomfortable or senses danger.

It’s important to keep in mind with all baby animals that even when found alone, they are rarely actually orphaned. With deer, unfortunately, we face another issue: in Waukesha County (as well as many other Wisconsin counties) chronic wasting disease regulations do not allow the rehabilitation of deer or rearing of fawns.

We want what’s best for each potential patient we take in and that means keeping them with their natural parents in their natural environment in as many cases as possible. If a fawn is abandoned it will show clear signs of distress like running around and crying continuously (for several hours straight, not just a bit of crying after being startled by the lawnmower or the family dog). Even though we can’t raise them here, if they are exhibiting these behaviors and they are young enough that they actually allow you to capture them, then they are too young to survive on their own and the outcome will ultimately be their starvation.

If you have questions about a fawn or any animal that you think needs help, please contact the Wildlife In Need Center or a rehabilitator in your area before you do anything else.